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Smelly

I am a very expeienced rabbit keeper, but Im stummped!!! I have recently adopted an angora female from pets at home, and she isnt very nice as she was treated badly by her previous owner. Thats something I can deal with. However, she is very smelly and doesnt wash her back end, she is only about 18 months old.She is also incontinent and the vets says there is nothing they can do about that. I have been bathing her every couple weeks, but my vet advised not to do that too often. Also she is very badly matted, which she gets brushed every day and its making a huge difference, is this the best way to de-matt? Im pretty sure she is not neutered, which the vet has had a look and said he cant see any scarring,but cant tell properluy and from previous experience Im aware neutering can help cleanliness. But I dont want to have the op if vet thinks there any chance she already done. However he also thinks her aggression could be coz she not neutered. She is lovely with me now, and loves been brushed and cuddled.
I have never had an angora before.
 
Are you sure she's incontinent or is it just that her fur is so long she can't help but pee on it? You might find that carefully giving her fur a good trim round her bottom will help with the smell. As for the matts, if they are really bad I think personally I would consider taking her to the vets to be sedated and clipped properly. Large/tight matts can be very painful for bunnies. I have a cashmere bun and brushing him often seems pointless as he just knots up again and sometimes I worry I'm hurting him. I can imagine an angora would be a nightmare! :lol: I use a little metal comb to tease Barley's knots away from his skin gently, most knots can be combed out but any particulary persistant ones I gentley snip off with a small pair of scissors.

Also, try to avoid using wood shavings and hay on the hutch floor as these have a tendancy to stick to long fur. Use a hay rack and something like paper based cat litter with newspaper on top in a litter tray (if she will use one) for her.

Well done for giving her a second chance in life too! :wave:
 
Georgie F, thanks for response, she is deffinately incontinent, she wees when she running about, it goes every where. But, she does quite well in her cage in going in the same place, she wont use litter tray tho, just moves it the goes where it she be. But she has a lot of times when she just goes, I dont really know how to explain it better, but she doesnt croutch if you know what I mean. :wave:
 
Awwwh! Bless her! Sounds like there's not a lot you could do about it then. :oops: I guess, if she isn't neutered, she could be doing territorial wees as she's dashing about. But if she is neutered, she shouldn't be peeing on the move (unless she really is incontinent).

I think, if it were me and I had the money, I'd take her to the vet and get them to give her a GA, clip her matts out of her fur and have a good look for spaying scars, and if she doesn't have any - get them to do her. They could also have a look at her 'downstairs' and see if there's a reason why she may be incontinent.

If that's not an option then I'd recommend clipping her fur round her bottom very much, it won't help with the peeing issue but it will go a long way to helping with the smell! :)
 
i would doubt she is spayed so it could be terrirtorial alternativly a uti could cause it or bladder stones or possibly ec give ehr a 28day course of pannacur prehaps?
 
I think brushing her is the best way to dematt - I used to have to do this with dogs and cats who were badly matted at the kennels.
 
Hey guys, thank you all for your responses. My vet doesnt want to put her to sleep to clip the matts out yet, wants me to keep brushing. I can see a difference with that. I never thought that it could be terrororial wees, lol, but it makes sense, I have seen that in my other two girls before they were neutered, and stopped after, so think Im gonna book her in for that, its seeming more and more likely that she isnt done. Think if when they do that, may ask them to clip her aswell then she is only under GA once. :D
I can see a light at the end of the tunnel now guys, thanks for all you advice :wave:
 
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